


The Florist and the Vampire

by HomeForImaginaryFriends



Series: BoKuroo Week 2019 [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Bad Flirting, F/F, First Meetings, Flirting, Gen, M/M, Magic, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 12:43:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18343934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/pseuds/HomeForImaginaryFriends
Summary: Bokuto is so involved in other peoples relationships that he doesn't even think about himself, until he meets a heavily tattooed vampire with a terrible pick-up line that is.





	The Florist and the Vampire

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bokuroo Week 2019  
> Day One: April 1st - Supernatural

Bokuto peered around a large bloom of dahlias, pretending to water the flowers in the corner of the shop even though his watering can was empty.  Also he had accidentally grabbed the broken one that they had been using as decoration at that point but that was neither here nor there. Because it was all a pretense, a ruse so Bokuto to spy on the other two occupants of the flower shop without it being too obvious.  It probably was obvious, Akaashi would definitely be shaking his head because of Bokuto’s antics, but he couldn’t help it.

 

Ushijima Wakatoshi had come to work for Bokuto only a couple days after Bokuto had taken over the small flower shop.  Bokuto came from a long line of elemental mages, his affinity leaned more towards air so he had been struggling as a florist until Ushijima came along.  Ushijima was a half-blood, the half mortal child born from a god of harvest. The flowers that he touched bloomed longer and brighter, the little shop became basically an overnight sensation.  Ushijima was a genius when it came to anything that grew in dirt, but had no idea how to deal with anything else. He was always polite, but his blunt and unemotive way of interacting with people tended to scare others off.  Which was mostly fine with Bokuto, he was great with people.

 

Then came Sawamura Daichi, a tattooed dhampir with a habit of befriending even the most unsocial of creatures.  Bokuto had liked Sawamura from the moment Akaashi had introduced him as a new artist at the tattoo studio next to the flower shop.  He looked like the embodiment of a good ol’ country boy with his clean shaven face and sensible wardrobe but underneath the cream colored sweaters and dark slacks was full sleeves and a sprawling back tattoo and peaked above the color, hinting at what lay beneath.

 

Not even the stoic half-god could resist the charasmic pull that was Sawamura Daichi.

 

Bokuto had promised Akaashi he wouldn’t play matchmaker, it had worked out disastrously the three times he had tried before Shirofuku had stepped in.  Bokuto couldn’t help it! He loved love and all he ever wanted was for those around him to be happy. He had been fine leaving Ushijima to his dirt and plants, content with the knowledge that the halfling had no interest in human interaction, let alone anything romantic or sexual.

 

At least that’s what Bokuto thought until a busy Wednesday evening pulled Ushijima from the backroom to help Bokuto with a surprising number of customers.  Sawamura had just begun to work at the tattoo parlor and had come into surprise the nocturnal employees with an array of flowers that they could not see in the daylight for fear of severe burns.  Dark Ink was run by vampires after all. Sawamura was a dhampir, able to walk in the sunlight without fear but his schedule had been flipped, which made him miss the daylight almost as much as his blood sucking co-workers.

 

Bokuto had been suggesting an array of flowers for a girl who wanted to apologize to her girlfriend for adopting a fifth cat when suddenly the already heavy aroma of the shop had become even sweeter, the buds turning as if sensing the sun.  Bokuto had turned in the same direction as those flowers, surprised to see Ushijima smiling, bright and uninhibited, to Sawamura.

 

Sawamura came every Wednesday evening, right before close, to get a new bouquet of flowers.  Ushijima spent the majority of the day carefully choosing flowers, large fingers touching each petal and making every single one the most stunning of its kind.  Bokuto had visited the studio, they had more flowers than they knew what to do with and Akaashi had admitted that most of them ended up taking them home now. Enjoying a little piece of the life they had given up when they were turned into vampires.

 

“Are you alright?”  Ushijima asked, his deep voice filling the shop.  Bokuto leaned around some flowers to try and get a better look at what happened.

 

“Yes, sorry I have a new piece and I hit it against the counter.”  Bokuto came running around the aisle, nearly skidding right into Sawamura into his haste to see the new piece.  Sawamura snickered at Bokuto’s clear interest but still raised the hem of his sweater, revealing his left side with clear wrap and black tape around the edges.  “The new artist did it last night.”

 

“The one Akaashi calls pain in the ass?”  Bokuto asked with even more interest. Tattooing a mundane person came with its own complications but Dark Ink specialized in tattooing the more magical community.  Sawamura peeled back the tape to show a mostly healed piece that spanned the entire length of Sawamura’s left side. It was done in a traditional style and it was a thing of beauty.

 

“His name is Kuroo Tetsurou, though pain-in-the-ass-Kuroo isn’t too far off.”  Sawamura said, putting the tape back into place before dropping his sweater. Ushijima’s eyes lingered on the now-hidden tattoo for a long moment before going back to arranging the colorful bouquet.  “He was around to learn irezumi when it was first done.” Bokuto wasn’t too good with history but he thought the traditional Japanese style was most likely a couple hundred years old. That wasn’t too surprising when it came to vampires.

 

“That’s awesome!”  Bokuto crowed excitedly before drooping across the counter in rejection.  “Why hasn’t Akaashi introduced me to him yet?” Bokuto had been trying to decide on a tattoo for years now but nothing had felt quite right.  Akaashi’s own Neo-Traditional style was as beautiful as the vampire himself, the Blackwork Sawamrua specialized in was always clean and striking, Yamaka Mika’s Watercolor work could be a painting but it was not what Bokuto wanted as his first tattoo.

 

“Probably because that meeting would be-” Sawamura searched for the word, looking over to share a small smile with Ushijima who probably looked unmoved to anyone who didn’t know him but Bokuto saw his features soften.  “Troublesome.”

 

“What?  I get along with everyone!”  Bokuto tried to defend himself.

 

“He does.”  Ushijima agreed, adjusting flowers that did not need to be touched just to delay Sawamura’s leaving but another half minute.

 

“I think that’s what Akaashi fears.”  Sawamura grinned, a quick flash of something mischievous that was gone in a blink.  “You should stop by tonight, he’ll most likely be happy to let you go through his portfolio.”  Sawamura took the flowers from Ushijima, fingers grazing the taller mans. He said his goodbyes, a warm smile meant just for Ushijima before he turned and walked out of the store.  Outside the sun was dipping below the horizon, the nocturnal creatures would just be waking up.

 

“Bokuto.”  Ushijima started, uncharastically hesitant as he ran his thumb over his pointer finger, right where Sawamura had touched him.  “Do you think there is something between this Kuroo and Sawamura?” Bokuto’s first instinct was to deny it but sometimes he missed things so he bit back that response.

 

“Why would you say that big guy?”  Bokuto asked, placing the broken watering can up on the counter as they both moved around the store to get ready to close it up for the night.

 

“He has only been working there a week, correct?  But Sawmaura has already let him tattoo him.” Ushijima’s brows furrowed, the white jasmine next to him curled inwards.  “I was under the impression that Sawamura did not like most vampires.” Vampires had a tendency to kill dhampirs, it was an ancient, unfounded hatred but many vampires were from older generations.  Ushijima did have a point, Sawamura wouldn’t let just anyone tattoo him. Especially something as intensive as an entire side piece.

 

“How about this, I’ll ask him about it when I meet him?”  Bokuto offered, gently prodding the dying jasmine. Ushijima brushed Bokuto’s fingers away, not unkindly, and brought the poor flowers back to life.  “But to be honest, as beautiful as our flowers are Sawamura isn’t coming in weekly for them alone and he doesn’t strike me as the type of person who flirts with everyone.”  Sawamura was kind of an awful flirt to be blunt, but it worked out well considering Ushijima had absolutely no concept of flirting.

 

“Thank you Bokuto, I am counting on you.”  Ushijima clasped Bokuto’s shoulder, tone as serious as if he was sending Bokuto off on the most important mission that might save the country from collapse.  Bokuto, being the rational adult person he was ate that shit up and positively vibrated with confidence.

 

“Leave everything to me!”  Bokuto then started to shoo Ushijima out of the store.  “I’ll lock up, you have that dinner meeting Tendou’s new boyfriend don’t you?  I still say he’s imaginary.”

 

“Tendou says he is very handsome, stylish, and intelligent.”  Ushijima stated as if that didn’t cement the fact that Tendou might have made up a boyfriend.  What respectable forest fae would go out with a trickster like Tendou? And what kind of name was Matsukawa Issei anyways?  A fake one, Bokuto was sure of it.

 

“If Tendou has a hot cool boyfriend then I have mini dragons as pets.”  Bokuto managed to get Ushijima out the door with too much fuss but Ushijima turned to face Bokuto in all seriousness.

 

“I would like to meet these mini dragons.”  Ushijima said. “Please.”

 

“Sure thing buddy.”  Bokuto would have to go over sarcasm and joking with Ushijima again tomorrow.  They were two concepts that kept seeming to go over Ushijima’s head, apparently flowers and plants did not have any concept of jokes.

 

By the time Bokuto had finished cleaning, only getting distracted a total of three times which he was sure Akaashi would be proud of him for, it was fully dark outside.  The only illumination coming from the tall street lamps and the handful of businesses with their big front windows facing the street. Bokuto hummed as he excitedly made his way to the tattoo parlor.  The windows were black, one-way mirrors. No sunlight could filter in during the day and only the occupants in the store could see out into the street.

 

Despite being operated and filled with vampire, plus one dhampir, employees the inside was brightly illuminated, modernly decorated, and welcoming.  There were framed pictures of the artists favorite pieces they had either drawn or tattooed over the years, certificates and awards along with the flowers that filled every available empty space.

 

“Hello Bokuto.”  Akaashi’s smooth voice greeted Bokuto as the door closed behind him.  Bokuto gave a whoop of happiness, enveloping the slightly smaller man in a tight hug.  Akaashi always always felt cool against Bokuto, vampires temperatures tended to be lower and Bokuto had always run a bit warm.

 

“Akaash’ it’s been so long!”  Bokuto set Akaashi back onto his feet, shifting around the other man to try and figure out where his old friend had been.  Akaashi often disappeared for a couple days and came back in a better mood, smiles a bit softer and hard edges smoothed out.

 

“It has only been five days.”  Akaashi stated but he was smiling too.  Bokuto didn’t mind Akaashi keeping secrets, he knew when Akaashi was ready he would tell Bokuto what he always got up to.  Bokuto hoped Akaashi had a secret lover, or many secret lovers. An entire harem perhaps, Akaashi deserved all the love in the world after all.

 

“Almost an entire week!”  Bokuto defended.

 

“A drone ant would think that was a long time.”  Another voice spoke up and Bokuto spun around, not noticing the other occupant in the front room in his happiness to see Akaashi.  “Their lifespan is only 3 weeks.” The man said, explaining to the two blank looks he was getting.

 

Bokuto knew technically hearts couldn’t flip and if his did it would be a medical problem, but it didn’t stop the fact that his heart felt like it flipped in his chest and landed at the strangers feet.  He was tall, though probably not that much taller than Bokuto but lean with muscle that made him appear longer. His hair was inky black and incredibly messy, the type that could either be terrible bedhead or something the man worked forty minutes on every day.  He was pale, dressed like what Bokuto thought an English professor would look like even though he had never attended a day of college classes in his life. Tight dark wash jeans, brown leathers shoes, a dark gray button up with a black vest over it stretched across surprisingly broad shoulders.  He had a tattoo on his neck, a splash of color that disappeared beneath the stiff collar and the hint of another piece that stretched out over his right hand before dipping beneath the long sleeves.

 

“Bokuto, please stop.”  Akaashi’s soft voice asked and it was then that Bokuto realized he had summoned the wind in the enclosed space of the parlor.  Pieces of paper, various writing utensils, and a couple mugs floated around but mostly flowers twirled in the magicked wind.

 

“Oh.”  Bokuto resisted the urge to drop everything and set it harmlessly down, watched as disconnected petals floated down around the stranger.  “Hello I’m Bokuto and you’re beautiful!” Bokuto introduced himself, catching the strangers eye as petals decorated his dark hair.

 

“Bokuto.”  Akaashi sighed.

 

“I mean you’re art, what you do is beautiful, because you’re Kuroo right?  Sawamura showed me the side piece you did for him!” Bokuto rushed over to hold out a hand.  “How did you know drone ants only live three weeks? That’s a really short time but to an ant it’s their whole life!”  Kuroo’s hand was cool in Bokuto’s own, his fingers were long and he got a closer look at the piece on his hand. The style was familiar.

 

“Only Bokuto would like Kuroo’s nerdy flirting.”  Sawamura’s deep voice said from somewhere behind Bokuto.

 

“Do you want to see what we can accomplish in three weeks?”  Kuroo’s smirk was a bit provocative but mostly Bokuto liked the stretch of it, the way it curled slightly higher on his left side than his right.  Sawamura boo’ed Kuroo from behind them and Akaashi pulled Bokuto away, slapping Kuroo’s hand in the process.

 

“No, I am not letting you near Bokuto.”  Akaashi stated firmly.

 

“Challenge accepted.”  Kuroo said back instantly.

 

“No challenge was issued.”  Akaashi frowned, putting a hand up so Kuroo couldn’t step any closer.  Bokuto grinned at Kuroo above Akaashi’s head.

 

“Would you like to tattoo me?”  Bokuto asked. There were still petals in Kuroo’s hair.

 

“Bokuto no.”  Akaashi whispered, horrified.


End file.
